Search Google Appliance

Science & Mathematics

The Museum's collections hold thousands of objects related to chemistry, biology, physics, astronomy, and other sciences. Instruments range from early American telescopes to lasers. Rare glassware and other artifacts from the laboratory of Joseph Priestley, the discoverer of oxygen, are among the scientific treasures here. A Gilbert chemistry set of about 1937 and other objects testify to the pleasures of amateur science. Artifacts also help illuminate the social and political history of biology and the roles of women and minorities in science.

The mathematics collection holds artifacts from slide rules and flash cards to code-breaking equipment. More than 1,000 models demonstrate some of the problems and principles of mathematics, and 80 abstract paintings by illustrator and cartoonist Crockett Johnson show his visual interpretations of mathematical theorems.

The blockbuster cancer drug Taxol first became available in 1992 and has since been used in the treatment for ovarian, breast, and lung cancer, and for Kaposi’s sarcoma. Its active ingredient was discovered through a joint research project between the National Cancer Institute and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which screened plant materials for their possible use as cancer drugs. In 1962 project researchers found that the bark of the Pacific yew, Taxus brevifolia, contains an anti-cancer chemical. The process to isolate the chemical, however, required trees to be stripped of their bark and consequently die, a fact that concerned both environmentalists and drug manufacturers.

Environmentalists worried that large-scale harvesting of the trees would damage the trees’ natural habitat through clear-cutting and massive harvest of the slow-growing Pacific yews. The drug’s manufacturers realized that the current supply of natural Pacific yew far from large enough to provide a sustainable source of bark for the continued production of Taxol over time. Slow growth and maturation rates of the yew made replacing natural sources through cultivation an untenable solution.

For these reasons, alternate sources of Taxol were investigated. Some scientists worked in the lab, trying to make the drug from scratch. Others, like microbiologist Gary Strobel, turned to the field, hoping to find a new natural source of the drug. Strobel wore this shirt on trips to the Himalayas when studying Taxus wallachiana, the Himalayan yew. Strobel did succeed in finding several natural alternate sources, all of them fungi which grew within yew and produced their own Taxol. He suggested growing these fungi in the lab and harvesting the Taxol they produced.

In the end, however, a sustainable source of Taxol came from a substance found in the needles of the European yew, Taxus baccata, which could be transformed into Taxol using a chemical reaction. Because needles could be harvested without killing the tree, this semi-synthetic way of making Taxol replaced bark as the commercial source of the drug. Later this process was replaced by simply growing the plant’s cells in the lab in large quantities and harvesting the Taxol they produced.

The machine combines the capabilities of a printing adding machine with the ability to print a few letters. It is a modification of the Allen Wales adding machine produced after the National Cash Register Company had acquired that company.

The device has a gray-brown metal case and nine columns of green and white color-coded plastic number keys. Odd-numbered keys are concave, even numbered keys, flat. Immediately to the right of these keys is a column of red keys marked with letters designating the significance of the number entered (e.g. one key reads “TX”, perhaps for designating taxes). To the right of the keyboard is a lever, and, to its right, a column of four function bars and keys. To the left of the keyboard are four other function keys. Above the keyboard is a row of nine openings under a glass cover.The openings show digits in the total. Behind this result window are two metal levers, one for tabs and the other for non-printing.

Behind the openings is the printing mechanism, with a red and black ribbon. The spools of the ribbon are under metal covers that are screwed in place. The mechanism includes a set of five wheels that can be set to a date. Behind these is a sheet of clear plastic, the carriage, and the narrow paper tape. The carriage is 39 cm. (15 1/4”) across, and divided into two parts. The narrow section on the left side takes a narrow paper tape, which is 6 cm. (2 1/2”) wide and is turned by a wheel on the left. The wider section on the right side takes pieces of paper and apparently was used to enter both figures and the date. The machine has a rubber cord and four rubber feet.

A tag on the front of the machine reads: 158 552366. A mark on the back of the machine reads: MANUFACTURED BY (/) THE NATIONAL CASH REGISTER COMPANY (/) OF DAYTON, OHIO, U.S.A.. AT ITS (/) MANUFACTURING DIVISION (/) AT ITHACA, N.Y., U.S.A.

This black synthetic leather case is lined with purple velvet and fastens with a snap. The top flap is marked: 1084 S. Inside the flap is marked: DIETZGEN (/) "PREP". A brass plate on the inside front of the case has a paper label handmarked: WIELER. Below the plate is marked: PAT. APPL. FOR. The back of the case is marked: Germany. The set includes:

1) 5-3/8" steel dividers lacking all attachments.

2) 3" aluminum handle missing its lid.

3) German silver and steel 4-1/8" extension bar and 2-1/8" pen and needle point attachments for dividers.

7) 3-3/4" German silver and steel bow dividers and bow pen. The bow dividers are marked: CHARVOS, INC. U.S.A. The screw on the bow pen is marked: DIETZGEN (/) GERMANY.

Around 1880, Eugene Dietzgen emigrated from Germany and became a sales distributor for Keuffel & Esser in New York. In 1885, he began to sell mathematical instruments on his own in Chicago. In 1893, his firm started manufacturing instruments under the name Eugene Dietzgen Company. In 1928, the business began importing these particular instruments to sell as the Prep product line for students. Model number 1084S was then priced at $4.70. By 1936, the set cost $5.45. In 1938, the handles on the pen and screwdriver were painted black and no longer were ridged. The patent referenced on the case is not known.

The large dividers and bow dividers clearly were put into the set later to replace original pieces. Charvoz made sets of drawing instruments in West Germany in the second half of the 20th century. According to the donor, this set of drawing instruments was used by her husband, the electrical engineer Robert H. Wieler (1923–1993). He likely acquired the set around 1937 as a school student.

This one-sided, ten-inch wooden rule is faced with white plastic. The front of the base has A and D scales, with B and C scales on one side of the slide and S, L (which is unlettered), and T scales on the other side of the slide. The slide is slightly longer than the base. The very thin glass indicator has a brass frame. The rule boasts Dietzgen's "Improved Automatic Adjustment," three flat springs in slots under the A scale that are adjusted with four screws on the back of the instrument. This mechanism was designed to prevent warping or shrinking of the rule from interfering with uniform movement of the slide.

The top edge of the instrument is beveled and has a scale of inches, divided to 1/32-inch. The bottom edge is flat and has a scale of centimeters, divided to millimeters. The back of the base is notched on the right end. A table of equivalents is pasted to the back of the instrument. The center of the table is marked: EUGENE DIETZGEN CO. (/) CHICAGO NEW YORK SAN FRANCISCO (/) NEW ORLEANS PITTSBURGH (/) PHILADELPHIA WASHINGTON (/) MILWAUKEE LOS ANGELES. On the front, the bottom of the base is marked (in red): DIETZGEN. The base is marked under the slide: WIELER. The right edge of the slide is marked (in white): 1760. A brown leather case is marked in gold on the flap: DIETZGEN. Inside the flap is written in ink: WIELER (/) R. W. ORY.

Catalogs for Dietzgen of Chicago indicate that the company introduced the improved adjustment in 1910. It was initially used on model 1769, which was 16" long and had letters on both ends of the scales until 1919, when model 1769 became a 10" rule with letters only on the right of the scales that sold in a morocco leather case for $6.50. It remained available on Dietzgen price lists through at least 1928, when the instrument was renumbered in catalogs to model 1760L. Model 1760 sold with a leather case (the L in the model number) for $6.35 until 1941. According to the donor, this instrument was used by her husband, the electrical engineer Robert H. Wieler (1923–1993).

The adjustable tracer arm on this German silver and bronzed brass instrument is evenly divided to tenths of a unit, with each unit equal to 5mm, and numbered from 5 to 36. The measuring wheel, vernier, and registering dial are white plastic. A second vernier is severely tarnished, made of German silver, and used with the scale on the tracer arm. The carriage for the measuring wheel is marked with a serial number: 12960. The pole arm fits inside a square tube and cylindrical weight, allowing the arm's length to be adjusted. The pole arm has a scale like the scale on the tracer arm, but it is numbered from 30 to 35.

Unlike earlier versions of the instrument, such as 1999.0250.01, the tube has an opening with a vernier. The tube is marked on top: K+E KUEFFEL & ESSER CO. (/) PARAGON. It is also marked: MADE IN (/) GERMANY. The side of the tube is marked: 12960. An oblong German silver testing rule is marked for 5 sq. in., 10 sq. in., and 100 sq. cm. A wooden case covered with black leather is lined with chamois leather. The top of the case is marked: K+E. The serial number and tracer and pole arm settings are written in ink on a K&E label pasted inside the lid. The number 20,475 is written in pencil on the label. See 1991.0882.02 for instructions.

K&E imported planimeters from the Coradi firm in Zurich to sell as model 4242 from 1901 to about 1936. When K&E began to offer model 4242 as part of its Paragon line, it changed suppliers to a German company. The instrument was not available during World War II. K&E introduced its K+E logo in 1949, and it added a tracer lens between 1958 and 1960. The price was $98.00 in 1949 and $90.00 in 1956. According to the donor, this instrument was used by her husband, the electrical engineer Robert H. Wieler (1923–1993).

References: Clark McCoy, "Collection of Pages from K&E Catalogs for the 4242 Family of Polar Planimeters," http://www.mccoys-kecatalogs.com/PlanimeterModels/ke4242family.htm; accession file.

This 12-inch triangular boxwood rule has indentations along each side, and the sides are faced with white celluloid. On one side, one edge has a scale divided to 1/16" and numbered by ones from 0 to 12. The other edge has scales for 3/32" and 3/16" to the foot. Between these scales is a scale divided to 3/32", numbered from left to right by fours from 0 to 124, and numbered from right to left by twos from 0 to 62. This side is marked: 1621P KEUFFEL & ESSER CO. N.Y. PARAGON.

One edge of the second side has scales for 1" and 1/2" to the foot. Between these scales is a scale divided to 1/2", numbered from left to right by ones from 0 to 10 and from right to left by twos from 0 to 20. The other edge has scales fro 1/8" and 1/4" to the foot. Between these scales is a scale divided to 1/8", numbered from left to right by fours from 0 to 92 and from right to left by twos from 0 to 46.

One edge of the third side has scales for 3/4" and 3/8" to the foot. Between these scales is a scale divided to 3/8", numbered from left to right by ones from 0 to 14 and from right to left by twos from 0 to 28. The other edge has scales for 1-1/2" and 3" to the foot. Between these scales is a scale divided to 1-1/2", numbered from left to right by twos from 0 to 4 and from right to left by ones from 0 to 2. This side is marked: RHW.

Keuffel & Esser began to offer model 1621P between 1901 and 1909, when it cost $2.50. The firm introduced the logo shown on the box in 1943. In 1944, this instrument sold for $7.50. The company changed its model numbers in 1962. According to the donor, the instrument was used by her husband, the electrical engineer Robert H. Wieler (1923–1993).

This 12" boxwood rule is beveled along both long edges and faced with white celluloid. One edge is divided to 1/16" and numbered by ones from 0 to 12. The other edge is on the back of the rule and is divided to 1/32", numbered by ones from 0 to 12. The front of the rule is marked: KEUFFEL & ESSER Co (/) N.Y. It is also marked: PARAGON. It also has K&E's eagle logo with the mark: TRADEMARK. It is also marked: RHW.

Keuffel & Esser added model 1453 to its Paragon line in 1936, when the model number was 1453PR and the price was $1.85. The model number was still 1453PR by 1954. According to the donor, the instrument was used by her husband, the electrical engineer Robert H. Wieler (1923–1993).

The top edge of this steel ruler has a 15.2 cm scale, divided to millimeters. The bottom edge has a 6" scale, divided to 1/32". The ruler is marked: STAINLESS. It is also marked: MADE IN U.S.A. The back of the ruler is marked: MRC BALL AND ROLLER BEARINGS (/) MARLIN-ROCKWELL COMPANY DIVISION OF THOMPSON RAMO WOOLDRIDGE INC.

The Marlin Rockwell Corporation formed after World War I through the mergers of several American makers of ball bearings, including Standard Roller Bearing Company, Gurney Ball Bearing Company, and Strom Bearing Company. The firm merged with TRW, Inc., in 1964. According to the donor, the instrument was used by her husband, the electrical engineer Robert H. Wieler (1923–1993).

The front of this white and green plastic rule with beveled edges has a scale divided to 1/10" and numbered by ones from 0 to 6 along its top edge. The bottom edge has a scale for 1/4" to the foot, divided to 1/40" and numbered by twos from 0 to 24. The rule is marked: K+E 1419W KEUFFEL & ESSER CO. The back has scales for 3/8" to the foot, divided to 1/50" and numbered by twos from 0 to 30, and for 5/16" to the foot, divided to 1/30" and numbered by twos from 0 to 18. A brown leather sheath holds the rule. Compare to 1981.0933.14 and 1998.0032.09.

Keuffel & Esser began offering model 1419 in plastic in 1949. At $1.80, the instrument represented a significant savings over the $4.20 price for the boxwood version of model 1419. The trade-off was that the marks were not engine-divided. The firm changed its model numbers in 1962. According to the donor, the instrument was used by her husband, the electrical engineer Robert H. Wieler (1923–1993).